Fairchild Garden Proposal in Coral Gables

Fairchild Garden Proposal in Coral Gables

Fairchild Garden Proposal in Coral Gables

The plan: He knew from the outset where he wanted to propose: at the Vine Pergola in Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. I’ve been to Fairchild many times (it’s one of my favorite spots in Miami) so I knew exactly which area he was referring to. It’s only a few minute walk from the gift shop/visitor center.

How it went down: I waited on a bench outside of the gift shop for them. When I saw them come out of the doors, I followed from a distance. They made a right to head toward the Danielson vine pergola. When he proposed, she was over-the-moon excited! We had an hour to explore other areas of Fairchild and take engagement-style photos, and throughout the entire session she was so giddy and joyous. It helps that she absolutely loves photography!!

Helpful information for planning a surprise proposal at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: For professional photography at Fairchild, they require the purchase of a photo permit. From my experience at Fairchild, it is generally a quiet space that doesn’t get huge crowds (always check ahead of time to see if there is an event or wedding planned). I like to think of it as a quiet oasis in the generally noisy, concrete jungle that is Miami. So far my favorite spots for a proposal have been in front of Glade Lake and in the Danielson Vine Pergola. The only thing about the vine pergola is that it’s a popular spot in the garden, so there are often people walking through. You may have to wait for people to clear out, otherwise they can be in the background of your proposal photos. Occasionally I’ve re-staged a proposal to get the “perfect” shot for lighting purposes or because people were in the photo.

Fairchild has more than one lake. So if you plan on proposing in front of Glade Lake, familiarize yourself with the map, and when you get to Fairchild you can always ask them where to go. They will provide you with a map and are very helpful. You can check out Fairchild on Google Maps as well – it has the names of the lakes and shows the pathways in the garden. One thing I’ve learned about recently (thanks to a client!) is how you can drop a pin anywhere on Google Maps and it give you the GPS coordinates for that spot. For surprise proposals, I can send you the GPS coordinates so we have an exact meeting spot. You can simply input the coordinates into Google maps and get directions to that spot. Just be sure your phone’s GPS works properly (my last phone had a faulty GPS and I could not rely on it for directions).